


Recruitment

by OnstageSport



Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: as much historical accuracy as possible, but you know, sometimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-22 03:11:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13158021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnstageSport/pseuds/OnstageSport
Summary: Katherine knew they couldn't complete the strike alone. They needed help and she knew just the boys to ask. The only problem was...would they help?





	1. Darcy Reid

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this post on tumblr:  
> https://12-irishball.tumblr.com/post/168664976033/imagine-katherine-just-knocking-on-darcy-and-bills

Katherine had known Darcy Reid for years. The Reid family, headed by Whitelaw, the owner of The New York Tribune, often hosted lavish parties and the Pulitzers were nearly always in attendance. As young children, Katherine and Darcy had found little amusement in the gatherings and would sneak off to somewhere more interesting–usually Whitelaw’s study or the kitchen. They were not technically allowed in either place, but that tended not to stop them.

And so it went, their friendship becoming stronger with every gala. And as they grew older, they actually began attending them.

Starting when they were about thirteen, it had become an ongoing joke between their fathers that they would have to merge their newspaper empires in a few years. It had taken them about an hour to understand it the first time, but every time after that they simply rolled their eyes. Katherine was grateful the days of arranged marriages were ancient history otherwise she may have been forced to marry Darcy Reid so they could reap the rewards of not only _The World_ but also _The Tribune_.

When they were fourteen, out of curiosity they stole away to Mr. Reid’s study again and, tucked away in the corner, gave each other their first kiss. They then promptly decided to return to the party, promising never to mention it or repeat the action for as long as they lived.

At seventeen when Katherine began working, it was suggested that she have a chaperone to accompany and protect her on her walk. Darcy had been the obvious choice though they both knew that he would hardly be the one protecting her.

With all of this in mind, when Katherine showed up on his doorstep one late-June evening, she was confident that he would agree to anything she asked of him. And he did.


	2. Bill Hearst

Bill Hearst was an entirely different story. Katherine had no reason to assume that he would help with the strike.

Katherine had only met him for the first time a couple of months prior when Darcy had inadvertently brought him along to accompany Katherine on her walk home.

“My father really worries, doesn’t he?” Katherine remarked coolly when she saw Darcy’s friend waiting with him by _The Sun_ ’s office door.

Darcy was quick to explain the situation and introduce his companion as Bill Jr., “another child of the press,” and not as a secondary chaperone.

Katherine nodded in understanding as she stuck her hand out for Bill to shake, introducing herself with her byline. The business feud that her father had with the Hearst family and The Journal had the last few years often seeped into their homelife and she could only imagine that the venomous words were reciprocated in the Hearst home. She would rather earn enemies of her own accord and not thanks to her father.

“Darcy already told me,” Bill laughed, taking her hand in his. Katherine’s shoulders slumped as she fixed Darcy with an exasperated look. This was the first time he might have been of use as a protector and he had completely

“No need to worry,” Darcy assured her quickly. “Bill will take your secret to the grave.”

And with that, they were off to the Pulitzer home, Katherine and her chaperone and his companion.

“Why don’t you work for _The World_?” Bill had asked along the journey.

“You don’t work for _The Journal_ , do you?” Katherine snorted, rolling her eyes.

The playful response she was expecting never came as he looked her in the eyes and responded without an ounce of humor, “As a matter of fact, I do.” Katherine crumpled into herself in embarrassment and she apologized. Despite maintaining cordial conversation for the rest of their trip, that had lodged itself at the back of her brain.

Though it had happened months earlier and Bill was likely to have forgotten about the interaction, Katherine was haunted by it as she knocked on the door to the Hearst home. He hadn’t indicated he took it negatively, but that was their only real interaction and now here she was, about to ask a favor, and a pretty big one at that.

She explained the purpose, showed him _The Children’s Crusade_ newsletter, and asked him with a nearly-pleading grin if he would get involved. He fixed her with a cool gaze and for a second she worried that he was about to cite her folly judgment from two months ago as reason he wouldn’t help. But after only a moment, he softened and told her that he would be honored.

“And, after reading that,” he said with a nod at _The Children’s Crusade_ , “if you ever want to give your father a heart attack, I’m sure we could find room for you at _The Journal_.”

Katherine smiled to herself but declined the offer, knowing full well that everything she was doing tonight was enough of a heart attack.


End file.
